BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 March 1927, Page 2

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

pSY TELEGRAM —I'F.lt MESS ASSOCIATION.] ITALY AND FRANCE. PARIS, March IG. Italy has replaced Germany as France’s war bogey. The latest Franea-ltalian quarrel centres on Mussolini’s speech advocating a tax on bachelors. France’s birthrate is stationary and Italian increase three million every four years. Mussolini declared bachelordotn was the gravest social illness confronting the nation imposing a tax which would create a fund facilitating marriage, andiassist poor children. Italian bachelors will quickly realise it is better company to be married. Those countries which by poltroonery selfishness, and laxity neglect normal human development are at the mercy of the robuster neighbours who have a sublime- belief in the growing power of their nation. France Ts dwelling on these words which are constructed as a threatCORRECTION. PARIS, Alarch IG. The message should have read; “Franco has taken Mussolini’s words as applying to herself, specially since France’s birthrate is stationary and the Italian is increasing three million every four years.” MONKEY GLAND EXPERIMENTS PARIS, March 16. Doctor Vorononff, monkey gland expert engaged by the French Government in research work (cabled on January 3rd) announces experiments in 1924 grafting an extra gland in a healthy sheep were a revelation, hut the expenses were heavy. o It is now discovered tiio offspring of the grafted sheep were eight pounds heavier at five months tlihn lambs from sheep not treated. Voronoff proposes to graft yjlalnds upon offspring of the treated sheep not with a view to breeding sheep as big as oxen but to obtaining maximum wool. Voronoff lias been requested to send an expert to New Zealand to give instructions in iho methods. 110 adds: “Sheep which usu!-illy die when fourteen years old when treated live to twenty and instead of enduring old age for four years they die suddenly in a week. The same thing would probably occur with human beings. A oronoff is going to Algeria for a fortnight to experiment. on Government branches of three thousand sheep RUSSIAN JEWELS SALE. LONDON, Alarch 16. The surprising total of £80,501* sterling was obtained from |he sale ot the Russian State jewels, .Scribed as the rarest collection of gems bought in an auction room. They mostly date from the eighteenth century and tlieicfore belong to a period removed from the late reigning family, though the nuptial crown was used more recently in ceremonial functions.

There was a terrific rush, mostly of women and after spirited bidding the crown went to a Paris buyer for £6IOO sterling. Bidding opened at five thousand.

Bess important lots grouped together brought eight thousand. Other prices were a pair of diamond bracelets* £3400 sterling; diamond necklace £2700; green jnspar snuff-box £2600; emerald and brilliant ornament £4300; large oval brilliant £11.800; diamond sapphires pearl brooch £7300 ; diamond tiara £4200; .court sword £7OO. SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICS. CAPETOWN, A Larch 17. Til the course of liis first speech in Parliament on the Imperial Conference declaration, Air Hertzog said having secured recognition by the British Government of National Sovereign freedom, it was a full renouncement by the British Government and claims on Dominions or superiority, it would he, had politics to indulge in expensive appointments of diplomatic officials to foreign countries, except where necessary for trade and state purposes. Ho bitterly attacked Air Smuts for stating Mr Hertzog had declared he regarded the Empire as a lemon to be squeezed and thrown away. He indignantly denied using the words then. He had repented what lie said years ago that the Empire was only good as far as was good for us as a country. If it were not good for South Africa it- was not good for me. Challenged as to the meaning, the Premier said if members think South Africa ♦or any Dominion will remain in the Empire, if it is not in their interest, to do so, they are wrong.

Afr Smuts deprecated the tone of tho Premier’s speech and maintained the declaration of affirmed status already recognised. He strongly pleaded for a break away front quarrels and first build up a new atmosphere of cooperative constructive effort. AVIATORS FLY. MADRID, Afarcli 17. De Loirs, the Portuguese aviator, left Bissagos in scenes of tense excitement. the natives of the islands evincing a great fear of the aeroplane which was never seen before. De Beirs did not intend to stop at Fernands de Noronlia, hoping to accomplish the first non-stop flight across the South Atlantic, but after 1800 miles flight in 17. J hours lie descended at Fernando de Noronlia. The flight was one hundred miles longer than De Pinedo’s from Cape Verde.

MEDICAL STUDENT. (Received this -lav at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON. March 17. J -G. Stephens, of Sydney, awarded the Beit Aledieal Fellowship at Cambridge, is shortly returning to Sydney. He is now engaged in cancer research at Lister Institute, London, with Dr T. Lumsden. SALE OF HONOURS. LONDON, March 17. The text is issued of Thurtle’s Sale of Honours Prohibition Bill. It makes agreements to recommend honours, in return for payment to party funds a criminal offence and orders all parties to supply the Home Office with a certified yearly return of subscriptions. The penalty for either offence is a fine of £IOO or six months’ imprisonment.